The society is inviting applicants who can demonstrate an activity that protects, increases, enhances and champions common land, town and village greens, open spaces and public paths in England and Wales, and the public’s right to enjoy them.

Details are on the society’s website at http://www.oss.org.uk/open-space-award/ or phone 01491 573535, and applications must be submitted by 31 January 2012. A national panel of judges will make a shortlist and visit those sites. The winning project will be announced at the society’s AGM on 10 July.

Jean Macdonald, the society’s vice-chairman, said: ‘We want to hear about the good things people are doing which support our aims of protecting, increasing, enhancing and championing open spaces and public paths anywhere in England or Wales.

‘If you’ve got a good story to tell, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, why not submit a proposal? You may have created or improved a path or an open space, or saved it from destruction. We hear so many horror stories about open spaces being developed and paths being gated or lost, but we know that there are lots of good things happening too. It would be great to be able to publicise your successes and show what can be done.’ ENDS

Notes for editors

1. The Open Spaces Society (formally the Commons, Open Spaces and Footpaths Preservation Society) was founded in 1865 and is Britain’s oldest national conservation body. It campaigns to protect common land, village greens, open spaces and public paths, and people’s right to enjoy them, throughout England and Wales.